Ventilating insole



March 13, 1951 P. E. WHITTINGToN VENTILATING INSOLE Filed Feb. 20, 1948INVENTOR 19 i- /W/awfy Patented Mar. 13, P1951 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE VENTILATING INSOLE Pani E. Whittington, Arlington county, va.

Application February 20, 1948, Serial No. 9,932

4 Claims. (C1. 36-3) Y (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as Yamended April'30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) l The invention described herein,if patented, may be manufactured and used by or for the Government forgovernmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to shoes provided with means by which they may beventilated, and has for its primary object to provide an insole whichwill operate automatically and effectively to n create a circulation offresh air within the shoe when the latter is in use.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of an insoleprovided with a plurality of rectilinear air passages provided withvalves which operate in the manner of a pump to circulate fresh airabout the interior of the shoe when latter and the insole are in use.

A still further object of the invention consists in providing aVentilating insole of relatively simple and inexpensive construction andyet which is efficient and durable in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description when considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the novel insole wit parts broken away tomore clearly disclose the internal construction;

Figure 2 is an edge view, partly broken away, to show the outwardlyopening check valves;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a shoe with the insoleinstalled therein and,

Figure` 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the rear portion of theinsole.

The body of the insole may be formed of rubber or other resilientmaterial capable of being compressed by the weightl of the wearers bodyY so as to cause the same to function as a pump in circulating the airas more fully set forth hereinafter. In the present illustration, thebody is formed of a rubber sheet or plate I provided with a series oftransverse ribs 2 on its upper side extending from edge to edge of theinsole. These ribs provide a series of transverse channels 3 whichextend from edge to edge of the sheet I, which is, of course, shaped toconform to the interior of the shoe to which it is to be applied.

The series of ribs 2 preferably terminates in spaced relation to theends of the insole to provide plain portions 4 and 5 at the heel and toerespectively of the insole, thereby imparting some stiffness to theinsole while permitting the pumping action along the ribbed portion.

A sheet of cloth or other cxible material 6,

also conforming to the contour of the insole body I, is adhesivelysecured to the upper surfaces thereof so as to close the tops of thetransverse channels 3. One edge of the insole is provided with a stripof rubber or other suitable material 'I set in a rabbeted portion 8 ofthe ends 4 and 5 and having its edges secured to the inner surfaces ofthe sheets I and 6. This strip 'I is provided with a series of inletcheck valves 9 corresponding to the number of transverse channels 3. Theopposite edge of the insole is provided with a similar rubber strip I0in which are formed outlet check valves II corresponding in number tothe number of transverse channels 3. It is to be noted that the channels3 are of rectilinear formation so that corresponding inlet and outletvalves 9 and II are in alignment with each other so/as to provide aclear passage for air being circulated about the shoe when the insole isin operation.

Inclosing the series of outlet check valves Il is a duct or conduit I2of substantially semi-circular contour in cross section and having itslongitudinal edges secured to the upper and lower surfaces of the insoleas clearly indicated in the drawings. The rear end of this conduit I2 isof tubular formation as indicated by the numeral I3 and extends upwardlyat the rear of the shoe where its free end is formed into a check valveI4.

In the operation of the insole the intermittent pressure of the wearersVweight while walking will cause the resilient sheet to be alternatelycompressed and expanded throughoutv the channeled portion, therebyalternately decreasing and increasing the volumetric capacity of thetransverse channels 3. These variations in pressure on the insole andthe attendant variations in the volumetric capacity of the channelswithin the insole cause a pumping action in conjuncf tion with theintake and outlet check valves, to provide a circulation of air aboutthe interior of the shoe and the wearers foot to ventilate the latterand eliminate deleterious ,effects often caused by excessive moisture incontact with the feet. As the channels 3 are collapsed by the pressuretransmitted to the insole by the weight of the wearers body aircontained in these channels is forced outwardly through the outlet checkvalves Il into the duct or channel I2 and up through the tube I3 andvalve I4 to the atmosphere. When the weight is removed from the n insolethese channels or passageways return to their normal cross sectionalarea due to the resiliency of the material, thereby increasing theirvolumetric capacityand causing. air to be drawn 3 in through the intakecheck valves 9 to supply the deficiency of air Within the channels. Thisaction is repeated throughout the period that the shoe and insole areused in walking and thus insures a continuous change of air within theshoe with a consequent cooling of the Wearers feet and lasubstantiala'eduction in the rpossibility of damage to the -feet whichotherwise often results by reason of the presence of excessive moisture.'i

I claim: Y

1. A Ventilating insole comprising a body por,-d

asiaoec tion of resilient material havingfe', p'lur'alty foff'communicating with each of said channels at'orie portion of the insole,and o1it,Warcl1y-'opening,

check valves communicating with each of the channels at anotherportionof the insole;

2. A Ventilating insole compris'nga body portion. of resilient materialhaving aV plurality of transverse parallel channels, inwardlyeopening`individual check-Valves communicating Ywith each ofthetransversechannels Aat one 4end thereof, vand outwardlywpeningindividual check Valves communicating `with each of the other ends Aofthe tr nsverse channels.

3. A Ventilating 'insole comprising abody portion of resilient materialhaving-a plurality #of parallel channels extending transverselythroughout the Width thereof, means for closing the channels at eachedge of the insole, and outwardly-opening and inwardly-opening checkValves in said means and communicating with the respective ends of thechannels.

4. A Ventilating insole comprising a body portion inf res'ilrent"material having a =plurality of parallel channels, ilnwardly-fopeningcheck valves communicating With the respective channels at one edge ofthe insole, outwardly-opening check YValives*communicating with therespective opposite endsvof the channels, and a duct into which-fsai'dioutivardlyfonening check valves discharge.

"PAUL E. WHITTINGTON.

REFERENCES CITED The fllowingrferences 'are of record in the `iile ofYthis patent:

